The guidelines for administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation have changed greatly over the past few years, making CPR both easier to provide and more effective, regardless of whether you've had formal training.

Learn CPR: Right Now

You don't have to take a class or be certified in order to save a life using CPR. The following videos show the basics of what you need to know. (The first one, about hands-only CPR, takes just 60 seconds!)

Today, there are three approved methods for delivering life-saving CPR in situations of cardiac arrest (also called a "sudden cardiac arrest") when, because of reasons varying from exertion to cardiovascular disease to unknown causes, a person's heart suddenly stops beating and he or she stops breathing.

Without oxygen, permanent brain damage can result in as little as four minutes, with death following soon after. However, the immediate delivery of CPR, even by an untrained bystander, can protect and sustain a victim until skilled medical assistance arrives.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 300,000 non-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. each year, with 80 percent of all cardiac arrests happening at home.

In other words, the life you save will likely belong to someone you love.